The goal of this project is to determine what role some antibiotics play in the producing organisms. Streptomyces viridochromogenes excretes during spore germination a germination inhibitor which is also a potent ATPase inhibitor-antibiotic. The molecular structure of this antibiotic is being determined and investigations are directed to the question of how this molecule is involved in maintaining dormancy and triggering events associated with initiation of germination of the spores. The location of the molecule in spores and mechanism of release during germination will be determined. Another aspect of the study involves determining if streptomycin is a component of vegetative cells and spores of the producing organism S. griseus. The organism will be grown so that labeled streptomycin will be produced. Location of label will thus be determined and the nature of bonds determined. Once this is known, experiments will be designed to determine the role that the streptomycin plays. This will be done by comparison with non-producing mutants of the organism. The same general experimental design will be followed for determining the location and function of puromycin and actinomycin in spores of the respective producing organism.